The Supreme Court of India has accepted the government's proposal to extend the tenure of retiring tribunal members and heads by six months, citing a need for a stop-gap arrangement.
The decision was made in response to petitions filed by bar associations, which raised concerns over the large number of vacancies threatening the functioning of tribunals.
Attorney General R Venkataramani told the court that a new law is being contemplated to govern future tribunal appointments and will be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session.
The court also emphasized the need for a mechanism to assess the performance of tribunal members, stating that increasing tenure alone is not sufficient.
With the extension, about 31 members of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) will be able to continue their work until September 8, 2026.
